Counting Trees
by BlackPetals23
Summary: Kristoff and his daughter are on a sled ride-now just to keep her entertained until they get home. But maybe the entertainment will stick in the child's head for awhile...She really is an odd child.


**Frozen Characters © Disney**

**Emily © BlackPetals23**

**Enjoy!**

**One-Shot:**

**Counting Trees**

Bright eyes stared around the scenery. Small hands clasped onto the railing of the sled as trees went by rather slower than the driver was used to, but there was a special reason why.

His cargo.

Kristoff smiled fondly at the little girl next to him—having his eyes and her mother's hair. As usual, the reindeer Sven pulled the sled along the snowy trail through the forest—carrying the two passengers and the ice.

The child leaned over the back just a tiny bit and breathed in the nature air. It was different from what she was used to, being raised in a castle like her mother and aunt.

Queen Elsa still ruled Arendelle, but Anna and Kristoff remained together throughout the years—giving life to a beautiful, little girl named Emily.

She stared at her surroundings and leaned further over the side.

"Be careful."

She heeded her father's words and sat back in her seat, turning around to see Sven pull the sled along. She glanced at Kristoff, who was holding the reins and smiling softly at her. Emily closed her lips, noticing they were gaping like a fish. She smiled gracefully back, tilting her head like a signature look she adopted.

Kristoff chuckled to himself as the sled was pulled along. Right up until weight pushed down on his right shoulder. He raised an eyebrow at Emily.

"Where are we going, Papa?"

"Just around the bend, back to Arendelle," Kristoff answered, slightly nudging her to sit back down.

Obeying, Emily sat back down, but she was hardly patient. She leapt up again to her father's shoulder, clasping her hands this time. "Are we there yet?"

"No, not yet," Kristoff tried not to laugh, but let a little chuckle leave his throat.

It was silent only for a few moments.

"How about now?"

"No, not now."

"Now?"

Kristoff sighed. "Why don't you…count how many trees there are until we get there?"

Emily frowned at first, but the game suddenly sounded interesting. She looked around her to only scowl. "There are too many for me to count!"

"Well…count the rocks, then."

"Papa…" Emily frowned at her father. "I'm only four. I can only count to twenty and there are way too many rocks and trees."

"If you can only count to twenty then how can you tell there are more than twenty?" Kristoff raised his eyebrow at her, "Especially if you haven't tried _counting _the rocks and trees?"

Emily pouted in her seat, folding her arms and looking ahead. Kristoff chuckled at her action and ordered Sven to go faster—merely for the child's sake. She might be the cutest kid Kristoff had ever seen, and maybe he was just saying that because she was his daughter, but she wasn't at all patient. He still didn't know what side of the family she got it from.

"Papa?"

Kristoff let a smile play at his lips. It was funny for him to know what his daughter would say before she said it. Or did, for that matter. She was the most peculiar child to him. "Yes?"

"Are we there yet?" she whispered into his ear, leaning against him once more.

"Come here," Kristoff wrapped an arm around her and tugged her into his lap. She squealed and wrapped the reins around her fingers. "Careful," Kristoff instructed, taking her hands and the reins into his own.

"I'm being careful!" Emily kicked her feet a little and leaned back in her father's embrace.

"Hm…" Kristoff grinned a bit and whispered, "How'd you like Grandpabbie?"

Emily brightened up. "I love the trolls! Can we go visit them more often, Papa?" She turned to face him with a hopeful expression.

Kristoff shrugged. "Maybe, we'll see…Sure."

"Yay!" Emily cheered and tightened her grasp on the reins, making Kristoff tighten his grip on her.

Kristoff sighed.

_It's going to be a long ride home…_

~~~.~~~

It was a long ride home indeed.

Anna was tucking her talkative daughter into bed that night, with Queen Elsa dropping by for a short moment to see her niece. Kristoff was in the stables with Sven, feeding him the last of the carrots before they got more tomorrow.

"Did you have fun today?" Anna unfolded a thick blanket.

Emily climbed into her bed, pulling the purple covers over her and smiling. "Yes! The trolls were so pretty, Mama! Why didn't you come with us?"

"Well, you know why," Anna caressed her growing stomach lovingly and put Emily's hand to it as she sat by her daughter's side.

"My baby sister!" Emily hugged her mother, wrapping her arms around her neck.

"Well, we don't know if it's a girl," Anna giggled at her daughter's excitement for a sibling.

Emily frowned. "But I want a sister…"

"Things have a way of working out on their own, Emily," Anna combed her fingers through her daughter's hair. "Now…why don't you get some sleep?"

Emily yawned on cue and rubbed her eyes. She sank into her bed while Anna put the blanket around her.

"I'm not tired, Mama…"

"Find a way to sleep, sweetheart," Anna whispered, kissing her daughter's forehead.

Emily beamed and showed her little teeth. "I'll count trees!"

Anna raised an eyebrow before laughing slightly and heading to the door of Emily's bedroom in the castle, "Alright, then."

"I'm on Papa's sled with Sven…and we're passing trees…One tree…Two tree…Three tree…"

Anna watched her until she got to ten before she smiled again and shut the door. Anna put her hand over her mouth and bit her lip while smiling. Strong arms wrapped around her stomach and Anna turned to see her husband.

She put her arms around her his neck and leaned their foreheads together. "You have the oddest daughter, Kristoff."

Kristoff raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"She's counting trees to fall asleep."

Kristoff kept his eyebrow raised, even after Anna vanished down the hall. He opened the door in curiosity.

"Nineteen tree…Twenty tree…"

Kristoff's lips curled up in a small grin. Emily's eyes drooped and her breathing slowed to an even pace. Closing the door, Kristoff sighed at his daughter.

She was indeed a very strange child. Strange but loveable.

* * *

_First try at a Frozen one-shot, or Frozen story for that matter. I hope it wasn't too cheesy—I hate it now, but I do like the connection that Kristoff could have with a potential daughter or son. _

_I might write more, and if so, they'll just follow after this—with Emily and such—and they won't be as cheesy, I promise._

_Arrivederci!_


End file.
